So what do you do on Chinese New Year eve if you are Chinese and you do not have a reunion dinner to attend to? Well, one still has to eat right?

I called my Muslim friend (one that is likely not to have plans) and asked him if he would accompany me to this famous pratha place that had initiated some pratha-fusioned creations.

Being in Singapore for Chinese New Year this year was a first for me. It turned out to be a good move and all happy vibes has to be credited to Sara, a dearest friend who truly wanted me to take a break. She provided support, company and a lovely place to stay. I was definitely much rejuvenated after my 5 days break!

But being in Singapore for the first time during CNY also means I’m unfamiliar with what’s available during the lunar eve and the first 2 days of Chinese New Year. As I’ve discovered, it is not much different from Malaysia and most F & B outlets are closed. There are exceptions of course, but I took the safer path and opted for a “mamak” restaurant for dinner on lunar eve!

One of Springleaf’s specialty is their MurtaBURGER. And that was exactly the item that I had wanted to try. A Murtaburger is a marriage of Murtabak and Ramly Burger patties. Think of a burger but with roti canai in the place of the standard buns. The standard comes with 1 patty but the EXTRA comes with well, 1 extra patty!

Popular with both Muslims and non-Muslims, Springleaf Restaurant’s food is generally good, my friend Hisham had said. He had been here before and he recommended the sup kambing, which was unfortunately sold out for the day.

In its place he ordered a COMBO (Pratha with Egg, Mushrooms and Tomatoes) and while I ordered a MurtaBurger (SGD7)and a Pratha Blaster (SGD5).

Hisham’s: COMBO (SGD3.50) – Pratha with Egg, Mushrooms and Tomatoes.It was rather tasty; he had assured me.

Meanwhile I excitedly tucked into my MurtaBurger, probably the first Ramly burger patty that I’ve allowed myself to consume after maybe 5 years?

It was good alright. How could the combo of burger patty, egg, cheese, mayo and roti canai not be tasty?

My other order – the Plaster Blaster – prata, ham, poached egg, hollandaise sauce and spring onions aka Eggs Ben Roti Canai was just as delish for the poached eggs were adeptly done and the hollandaise sauce acceptably creamy and tangy.

My only gripe? The undercook thick layer of dough within the pratha layers. The pratha here isn’t as fluffy as I would have liked and I had difficulty finishing the inner layers.

Would I return? Actually I would. There are other innovative roti canai combos that I’ll like to try such as the Ultimate Murtabak ($12) – prata stuffed with tandoori chicken, portobello mushrooms and mozzarella cheese, Umami 50 ($8) – prata stuffed with chicken luncheon meat, chicken floss, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise and egg as well as Portobello Mushroom Cheese Prata ($5) or even the Prata Goreng ($4) which is fried roti canai in place of noodles/mee.